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Why Our Knees Are So Easy to Injure

The ability to move around on two legs, known as bipedalism, is a defining feature of modern humans. Yes, various other things make us human—a big brain, dexterous hands, language, material culture—but bipedalism is a turning point in human evolution. Just why it came about is debated, but experts generally agree that it gave our ancestors an evolutionary edge, helping them survive in a primitive world.

Yet becoming bipeds also doomed humans to a pair of knees that is one of the weakest links in our bodies. Anatomically speaking, the human knee “suffers from a rather precarious design,” anthropologist Owen Lovejoy has written. The knee is a hinge joint, working on the same principle…

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Featured

 How to Save Your Knees Without Giving Up Your Workout

There’s no magic bullet to knee health, but staying active and building muscles around the joint are crucial.

Articles of Interest

6,000-Year-Old Knee Joints Suggest Osteoarthritis Isn't Just Wear And Tear

"Your joints aren't just like your automobile tires that wear out as you use them," he says. In fact, exercise helps nutrients diffuse into cartilage in the knee and keep it strong and healthy.

In brief: How does the knee work?

The knee is the body’s largest joint, and it has a fairly complex structure. This structure makes it possible for us to bend and straighten our knees, and to turn them slightly inward or outward. A healthy knee can be moved from 0 degrees (completely straight) to about 150 degrees (calf touching the back of your thigh). A bent knee can be turned inward (towards the other leg) by about 10 degrees, and outward by about 30 degrees. A number of bones, muscles, and ligaments come together in the knee joint.

Knee anatomy

The knee joint is made up of two parts. The part of the knee between the end of the thigh bone (femur) and the top of the shin bone (tibia) is called the tibiofemoral joint. The patellofemoral joint is between the end of the thigh bone (femur) and the kneecap (patella). The knee joint is surrounded by synovial fluid which keeps it lubricated. The bones are covered by smooth joint surface (articular) cartilage that allows them to glide smoothly together without friction. If the joint surface is damaged through wear and tear or a knee injury, arthritis can develop.

Knee problems tend to flare up as you age – an orthopedic specialist explains available treatment options

Knee injuries are common in athletes, accounting for 41% of all athletic injuries. But knee injuries aren’t limited to competitive athletes. In our everyday lives, an accident or a quick movement in the wrong direction can injure the knee and require medical treatment. A quarter of the adult population worldwide experiences knee pain each year

One third of people getting knee replacements don't need them

A knee replacement is a decidedly unpleasant event. From the hassle of getting the surgery to the three-month recovery to the possibility of catching an infection while you're in the hospital, nothing aside from a possible balloon or flower delivery is very fun. But knee surgery isn’t something we do for fun. It’s something we do because we think its the treatment we need — but it turns out, in a high number of cases, even that isn’t true. A new paper finds that one-third of knee replacements are performed on patients who don’t fit the criteria for being a good knee replacement candidate. These are people who might have their problem solved by a less invasive treatment — but instead are undergoing a major surgery.

Running May Be Good for Your Knees

Many people worry that running ruins knees. But a new study finds that the activity may in fact benefit the joint, changing the biochemical environment inside the knee in ways that could help keep it working smoothly.

The People Getting New Knees and Hips in Their 40s

The average age of hip- and knee-replacement patients is getting younger. As average life expectancy ticks up, many Americans are no longer willing to sacrifice decades doing their favorite activities, such as skiing, hiking or playing pickleball, to sit in pain, doctors say. And staying sporty into your 50s and 60s is good for your physical and mental health.

What I Wish I’d Known About My Knees

Many of the procedures people undergo to counter chronic knee pain in the hopes of avoiding a knee replacement have limited or no evidence to support them. Some enrich the pockets of medical practitioners while rarely benefiting patients for more than a few months. I wish I had known that before I had succumbed to wishful thinking and tried them all.

‘Don’t push into pain!’ How to rescue your knees from everything from torn ligaments to injured tendons

From runner’s knee to fraying cartilage, knees are involved in 40% of sports injuries. But it can be hard to pin down what’s wrong, or what to do about it. Here’s what the physios say.

Resources

19 Best Knee Mobility Exercises for Strength and Stability

Work these into your routine to prevent injury.

8 Stretches for Knee Pain to Ease Your Achy Joints

Sometimes a little lower-body flexibility work is all you need.

The Knee Joint

The simple solution for knee problems.

TeachMeAnatomy

The knee joint is a hinge type synovial joint, which mainly allows for flexion and extension (and a small degree of medial and lateral rotation). It is formed by articulations between the patella, femur and tibia.